The Listening Approach: Storytelling’s Secret Sauce
When we think of storytelling, we might be tempted to think of an animated character at the centre of a dinner party animatedly recounting a semi-believable tale amidst the uproarious laughter of her dinner companion. Or maybe we have an image of a campfire, with everyone leaning in to savour a spooky tale, knowing that the jump-scare line is predictably coming.
While we generally equate storytelling with a single speaking character at its heart, there is another way.
For some stories, the starting point is actually listening.
I recently completed a life story for a family in nearby Colbourne which began filming several months after the main subject of our story passed away. At his celebration of life, I set up a listening centre in a small guest cottage on the property and invited guests to come and share their memories. The result was a beautiful crowd-sourced film portrait of the departed–a treasure for the family for years to come.
Listening works for companies and organizations, too.
Entities like the United Way Hastings and Prince Edward, in the discharge of their mission, are in a constant state of collaboration with over 40 local agencies and they play a significant central role in broader community initiatives like Belleville’s Bridge Integrated Care Hub. Listening is a pillar of operation for the United Way HPE, so it makes sense that listening is the basis of their storytelling, too.
In the production of a recent micro-documentary, United Way HPE Executive Director Brandi Hodge created a frame of reference by introducing her organization, but then she sent me off to hear some reflections from Sandie Sidsworth, Executive Director of the Enrichment Centre for Mental Health. The success of Sandie's organization is strongly supported by local United Way funding, and she's not shy about sharing the beautiful stories of impact that exemplify the outcomes attained by the Enrichment Centre.
Why doesn't everyone include clients in their storytelling? I wonder if it boils down to a few common concerns.
Effort. Coordinating input from clients can be time-consuming.
Sincerity. It may be difficult to get clients to speak freely if they're talking directly to company/organizational representatives. It just kind of weirds them out.
Fear. Organizational leadership may be harbouring concerns that the client will say something unfavourable. Passing the mic might be viewed as risky.
At the risk of sounding self-serving, these fears can be balanced by collaborating with specialists. Just as we might call a plumber or a small engine repair specialist (maybe you've seen my article on DIY here 🤣), experts exist who can facilitate authentic, positive, and sincere storytelling experiences. There are a few of us around. And it’s usually worth the time for a discovery call to figure out if they can help craft a solution.
Just below is the United Way micro-documentary I mentioned. In it, you’ll see the layers of connection unite people across communities. It’s a web of listening that makes our part of the world a better place.
